The machine disclosed in U.S. Pat. Re. 29,069 is typical of prior machines for applying adhesive to a portion of the bottom of a workpiece wherein the workpiece bottom portion is so supported that it lies in a prescribed plane that is inclined from the horizontal. Such a machine has an applicator assembly located below the workpiece portion that is connected to an applicator mount. The applicator mount is mounted for heightwise movement between a lower position wherein the applicator assembly top is spaced from the workpiece portion and an upper position wherein the applicator assembly top lies in the aforementioned prescribed plane and bears against the workpiece portion. Adhesive feeding means are incorporated in the machine that are actuable to expel adhesive from the applicator assembly top onto the workpiece portion. The machine has means for initially retaining the applicator mount in its lower position; means for thereafter raising the applicator mount to its upper position; means for actuating the adhesive feeding means while the applicator mount is in its upper position; and means for thereafter lowering the applicator mount to its lower position.
Because, in the prior art machine, the top of the applicator assembly is at all times in a plane that is inclined from the horizontal, there is a tendency for the adhesive in the applicator assembly to flow from the top of the applicator assembly onto other parts of the machine and foul these other machine parts. In addition, this flowing of the adhesive away from the top of the applicator assembly tends to deplete the adhesive in the applicator assembly and thus reduce the efficiency of the adhesive feeding means in expelling an adequate quantity of adhesive onto the workpiece.